1912 AND FISHERIES COMMISSION. 109 



angling to be secured in these waters is altogether exceptional, there can 

 be no doubt as to the wisdom of imposing a special charge for the privi- 

 lege of enjoying it on visitors and citizens alike, both with a view to 

 conserving the fisheries and of obtaining the maximum benefit from their 

 existence to the general public. It is, however, to be noted that near the 

 mouth of the Eiver Nipigon is situated the village of Nipigon, and that 

 the river itself is only two hours by rail from Port Arthur and Fort 

 William, so that there are, in consequence, quite a number of anglers 

 resident in the district generally anxious to enjoy the sport during the 

 weekends, or for two or three days when opportunity offers, and there 

 is a distinct feeling in these quarters that a hardship is being inflicted 

 by compelling residents in the vicinity to pay |5.00 for their angling for 

 each period of a day or two only when a fortnight or more intervenes 

 between the visits. Indeed, it would appear that, during the last year or 

 two at least, the collection of the license from residents in the vicinity 

 has been very lax on this account, and that quite a number of such per- 

 sons have more or less frequently fished some of the lower pools of the 

 river, particularly in the neighborhood of Camp Alexander, without 

 paying any license at all. It is evident that whatever a law may be, 

 it should be enforced, for failure to do so is morally evil in its effect. 

 Moreover, in a matter such as this, where exceptional expenditures are 

 being borne by the public to conserve and maintain exceptional fisheries, 

 there is no apparent reason why the resident in the vicinity should be 

 allowed special privileges over other residents of the Province. On the 

 contrary it would seem but just that the law applying to one should 

 apply equally to all, and this undoubtedly is the intention of the authori- 

 ties. There may, however, be reasonable grounds for the contention that 

 an undue hardship is inflicted on residents in the vicinity through the 

 minimum cost to fish these waters being fixed as high as |5.00. Undoubt- 

 edly those who reside in the neighborhood will be in a position more 

 frequently to visit the reserve than those who live at a distance, and, 

 also, these visits, while more frequent, will be less likely to be prolonged 

 for even fourteen daj'S. Moreover, there are and will be cases when resi- 

 dents of other portions of the Dominion, travelling by, would avail them- 

 selves of the opportunity of a day or two's fishing, but are deterred by 

 the present cost of the license taken in conjunction with other unavoid- 

 able expenditures. Consequently it would seem that some steps might 

 be taken to meet these conditions. A charge of |1.00 per diem should be 

 quite satisfactory to those who in passing wish to fish for a day or two 

 only, or to those who from neighboring towns or villages visit the reserve 

 for the purpose on one or two occasions only during the year for periods 

 of a very limited number of days, and at the same time would be a fair 

 recompense to the public. To accommodate those whose opportunities 

 of indulging in the sport afforded by these waters are frequent, but of 

 brief duration, a season pass might be instituted, to cost flO.OO and to 

 cover thirty days in the reserve no matter when taken during the open 



